It may have been a couple of years since you wrote your first year. Many events happened between your first will and today – you may have married, had a child, bought a home or even lost a loved one. Your will may seem a little obsolete now that you built up an estate and people came and left your life.
You may be wondering if you can change your will and include or exclude family and possessions from your original will. Here’s what you should know:
A will is not a “one and done” situation
In short, there is no exact limit on how many wills you can make. It’s normal for people to write a new will every few years – but you could literally write a new will daily (although that would be extreme).
What your heirs will focus on is your last will and testament. This is your last will that was properly drafted and executed. This validates the legal document as being authentic, stopping someone from altering a will for their benefit.
Disposing of your old wills is important
Now you know you can write a new will, what do you do with the old one? It may seem obvious to include it with your new will so people can see what changed with each revision. You should know that you don’t need to keep an old will — and you probably shouldn’t.
You will need to include the proper wording in your new will to revoke your old. If you really wish to differentiate between the old and new will then you may consider destroying the old will altogether. Revoking and destroying your old will can reduce the chances of someone contesting your will in the future.
If it has been a while since you’ve updated your will, the odds are good that you need a few revisions. Experienced legal guidance can help make sure that your wishes are fully expressed.